Today I would like to introduce you to Mary and Wayne Hamblin. Mary (Reid) was born in Bellevue, Ont., in 1934 and Wayne was born in Leroy, Sask. in the year of 1935.
Wayne was a chef by trade. He joined the Air Force in 1954 while living in Vancouver. He eventually ended up in Trenton, Ont., at the No. 6 Repair Depot (6 RD), an aircraft modification and repair unit of the Royal Canadian Air Force's Air Materiel Command.
Duties at No. 6 RD included handling aircraft at other stations and working as a flight steward at various locations which included points overseas. Wayne spent two years in Germany and eventually ended up in Victoria and retired as a Warrant Officer.
"When I was 19 years old I attended a dance in Trenton and I just happened to find Mary. It was to be the best find that I would ever make. I knew when I met her that she was the one for me. Due to the fact that I was in the air force, we had to wait two years until I turned 21 to be able to get married. In those days you had to be 21 in order to receive air force spousal support," Wayne said.
"That was 58 years ago and I can still say that Mary was the best thing that ever happened to me. In the meantime we raised four children: Paul who is a chef at the Youth Containment Centre, Bob - a crane operator, Heather - a nurse, all living here in Prince George, and Judy who works for the school district in Quesnel. Thanks to Mary I now have eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren."
The couple moved from Victoria to Prince George in 1974. Wayne worked for his brother-in-law Henry Creuzot as a chef at Grama's Inn.
After awhile Wayne went to work for the Prince George Regional Correctional Centre providing meals to the main jail and to Hudta Lake for the next 31 years.
Over the past 21 years Mary and Wayne also contracted meal provision to the Prince George Youth Containment Centre; a public high school operated by School District 57 that provides education to students in custody.
"I enjoyed working with the kids," Wayne said. "I regularly worked alongside of many kids and I never had any problems. They respected me and I respected them."
Wayne was still working full time at the age of 75 when a stroke forced him out of the kitchens and into retirement. He reflects back and says, "I loved working. I started my day at 4 a.m.; I did all the baking and made all the soups. I was done and all cleaned up by 10 a.m. when the other cooks came in to finish off the day. I will soon be 80 and it seems like I spend a lot of time taking pills to manage my heart condition. Mary and I still have a management hand in the meal provision contract along with our son Paul so we are still involved. Mary has always been involved with the business and has always managed all the paper work."
These days the couple are still able to do a fair amount of traveling, mainly to visit family and friends.
Wayne explains, "We are still able to travel because of my armed forces insurance coverage. This insurance coverage still allows me to travel which we would not be able to do without it. Mary does all the driving and manages us both quite effectively. Yes, I am sure glad that I found that gal way back then!"
The Hart Pioneer Centre, 6986 Hart Hwy. is having a barbecue lunch on Aug. 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and then on Aug. 17 they are having a chicken and pork dinner at 5 p.m.
If it is dancing that you want then check out their 8 p.m. dance on Aug. 9. For more information just phone the centre at 250-962-6712.
